1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to devices and methods used to fabricate medical devices. In particular, this application relates to devices and methods used to fabricate endoluminal devices suitable for various medical applications.
2. Background
The functional vessels of human and animal bodies, such as blood vessels and ducts, occasionally weaken. For example, an aortic wall may weaken, resulting in an aneurysm. Upon further exposure to hemodynamic forces, such an aneurysm may rupture, resulting in internal bleeding, and often, death.
The use of an endoluminal device or prosthesis, such as a stent graft is well known in the art as an intervention for repairing weakened, aneurysmal, dissected or ruptured vessels. An endoluminal prosthesis is delivered in a radially compressed configuration using a catheter delivery system. The catheter is introduced into the lumen system and the prosthesis is delivered to the repair site intraluminally. The prosthesis is then expanded to engage the luminal wall. The prosthesis provides some or all of the functionality of the original, healthy vessel and/or preserves any remaining vascular integrity by replacing a length of the existing vessel wall that contains the site of vessel weakness or failure. Endoluminal prostheses such as stent grafts may be used for the treatment of various functional vessels, including body lumens such as the esophagus, bile duct, or blood vessels.
Presently, the manufacture of stent grafts or covered stents requires specialized secondary procedures or specialized stent-attachment mechanisms. For example, the stent may be attached to a graft using external components such as hooks, sutures, adhesives and adhesive film wrappings. Such components and processes are both labor-intensive and costly.
Thus, there is a need for an endoluminal prosthesis that includes a stent and a graft where the stent and graft are secured together without the use of labor-intensive and costly attachment procedures or mechanisms.